Treestand safety video and test - FREE - Take it!
 

Here is the on line treestand safety video. It is the only online treestand safety course that meets industry standards as recognized by the Treestand manufacturers Association. It is fully interactive, narrated and only take 15 minutes to complete.

I ask everyone who intends on using a treestand to please view the safety video and then make a quick post to let everyone know if you may have learned from the video and what you thought of the video.

I dedicate this thread to George Olivo, his family and other fellow hunters who lost their lives and their families who may have inspired others to be safe enough to remain with their families.

http://www.huntercourse.com/treestandsafety/

Thanks Uncle Matt for posting that information and link. The information is basic to most of us that have been using tree stands for a while but often that experience leads to complacency so a review is always welcomed. Many of the new stands like Summit have a CD with details on proper use. After getting that stand years ago and reviewing the information I bought a HSS vest with lineman's belt and prussic knot lanyard throwing out all the old school black cinch straps that came with older stands. I can't say enough how using that equipment made both the job of placing stands on trees and additional safety a priority. Statistics are shocking on just how dangerous tree stands are. A smart person is one that gets the most odds in his or her favor.

After posting I decided it might be appropriate to put this at the top of the page as a sticky just so it won't fall from the first page and be over looked. I think it is that important. I hope this is OK with you Uncle Matt.

I will offer this to those that are receptive.

We had a safety class. (not hunter safety it was work related for scissor lifts) The presenter was a good friend of mine who is retired Chicago FD. He made this excellent point and presented examples throughout the training to stress the point.

Accidents are usually avoidable and that accidents almost always result from 2 factors that are "not usually" present. Such as, I don't usually use that saw and I don't usually saw from a ladder.

So once even one thing you are doing or is happening is unusual, it is time to go into rethinking mode. Ask yourself the what could happen and what if questions.

What I put in bold is an excellent point! The guy I just helped last month on his archery elk hunt in Wyoming fell from just an 8 foot ladder this summer while caulking between joints on his log home. He broke his left wrist so bad that he had to buy a crossbow with a cocking device in order to hunt the first two weeks of September because there was no way he could use his compound bow. That fall was from only 8', so you can see why people are getting killed or paralyzed at the higher tree stand elevations we're talking about!

Good review and other info
 

Good review on what I do and what is recommended with newbie tree stands. Good info and intelligence on newbie competitor hunters. Good info on present tree stand manufacturers. Worth the review.